Lamp socket



Au 31,1926. Y D. N. THOMPSON LAMP SOCKET Filed Feb. 2, 1921 iiiiiuINVENTOR.

A TTORNEY5 Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

Uhlll'hll) STATES PATEL? than tries.

DON N. THOMPSON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YGEK, ASSIGNOR .TO PASS 56 SEYMOURINC, G33 SOLVAY, NET-V YORK, A CORPORATION CF NEW YORK.

LAMP SOCKET.

Application filed February 2, 1921.

This invention relates to electrical appliances as lamp sockets, and hasfor its object a particularly simple and eflicient wire clampingterminal therefor; and a particularly simple and efficient arrangementof the wire terminals on the base of the socket. The invention consistsin the novel features and in the combinations and constructionshereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a socket embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly broken away, and parts being omitted.

Figure 3 is a rear end view, the cap being removed.

Figure l is a sectional view on the plane 'of line 4-4, Fig. 3, the capomitted in Fig. 3 being shown in Fig. 4, and the lamp terminals beingalso omitted.

Figure 5 is a front end view of the socket.

This lamp socket comprises a base of insulation having a recess orsocket in one end, lamp terminals mounted in the recess, wire terminalsmounted on the rear end of the base, screws extending lengthwise of thebase from the recess and threading into the wire terminals andmechanically and electrically connecting the wire terminals with thelamp terminals, and a cap covering the rear end of the base.

1 designates the base of insulation, which is here shown as-cylindricalin form and formed with a recess or socket 2 in its front end. 3 and 4are respectively, the outer and central lamp terminals located in therecess 2. 5 and 6 respectively the wire terminals mounted on the rearface of the base or in recesses or depressions 7 in the rear face of thebase.

8 and 9 are respectively, screws extending through passages 10, 11leading from the recess 2 and opening through the rear face of the baseor the bottoms of the depressions 7, enlargements or countersinks 1.2,13 being located at the upper ends of the passages 10 and 11. The screw8 passes through an arc-shaped clamping member or washer 1a which seatson the bottom flange of the shell or outer lamp Serial No. 441,947.

terminal 3, and the throughthe outer end of the central terminal 4. Theheads of the screws bear on the washer 1 1 and the base of the centralterminal 3 respectively. Each wire terminal 5, 6 has a portion extendinginto the countersink 12 or 13, and as'here shown, each terminal isUshap'ed in general form, and has laterally turned lips or flanges 15 atthe ends of its arms which lap the outer rear face of the base or thebottom ofthe depression 7, and the screw 8 or 9 threads into theintermediate part of the U-shaped formation. Springs 5 6 press outwardlyon the terminals 5, 6 respectively, these springs encircling the screws8, 9 and be ing interposed between the mtermediate portions of theU-shaped terminals and in ternal shoulders 10, 11 in the passages 10,11. These springs tend to hold the screws from endwise movement and tolift or unclamp the terminals during unscrewing of the screws.

16 is a cap on the rear end of the base and enclosing the wire terminalsand the contiguous ends of the service wires, this cap being held inposition byfastening members, as screws extending lengthwise of the bodyand accessible through the socket or recess 2, and as here shown, thecap is held in position by screws 17 extending through passages 18opening through the bottom of the socket or recess 2 and through therear face of the body, the heads of the screws being located in thesocket. The recess 2 and the outer terminal 3 are cut away to expose theheads of these screws whereby they are accessible from the front side ofthe socket.

Tn operation, the wire extends between one of the flanges 11 and thebottom of the recess 7 and is curved around so that the end of the wirelies under the other lip or flange 15. Thus by turning the screws 10,11, all parts will firmly clamp in position.

What I claim is 1. In an electrical appliance, the combination of a baseof insulation having a pas sage therethrough, a wire terminal having aportion extending lengthwise into the passage, a wire engaging part atits outer end overlying the surface of the base at the outer end of thepassage and an angular extending portion at its inner end and a screwextending lengthwise of the passage and screw 9 extends outer ends ofthe arms of the U, said parts beinglocated outside of such passage and ascrew arranged inthe passage and threading into the intermediate part ofthe shaped terminal.

3. In an electrical appliance, the combination of a base of insulationformed with a passage, a wire terminal U-shaped in general form andextending into the passage, the wire terminal having outturned lipsatthe ends of the arms of the Ui-shaped formation for engaging WllQS,said lips being opposed to the surface of the base around the passageand a screw extending through the passage and threading into theintermediate part of the U-shaped terminal of the passage, substantiallyas and for thepurpose set forth.

e. In an electrical. appliance, the combination of a base of insulation,formed with a passage, a wire terminal U-shaped in gen eral form andextending into. the passage,

the Wire terminal having outturned lips at the ends of the arms of theU-shaped formation for engaging wires, said lips being opposed to thesurface of the base around the passage and a' screw extending throughthe passage and threading into the intermediate part of the U-shapedterminal of the passage, and a spring in the passage ar ranged to thrustthe Wire terminal out of the passage when disengaged from the screw,substantially as and for the purpose described. v

5. In an electrical appliance, the combination of a base of insulationhaving a passage therethrough, a wire terminal having.

a U-shapedportionextendinginto said passage and having Wire engagingparts outside of such passage and a screw arranged in the passage andthreading into the intermediate part of the U-shaped portion, and aspring arranged in the passage and thrusting against the intermediatepart of the U- shaped formation to thrust the wire terminal out of thepassage when the same is dis engaged from, the screw, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga and State ofNew York, this 3rd day of January,1921.

DON N. THOMPSON;

